The present invention relates to window-mounted systems for hanging decorative lighting and, more particularly, to an improved mounting system and associated kit for installing decorative lights within a window frame including a support framework assembly of slotted tubular members specially formed and interconnected so as to be adjustable for mounting in a variety of window frames together with an associated light insertion tool capable of readily installing the individual lights of a decorative light string equally spaced apart within the slotted tubular members.
Throughout the United States and elsewhere, the practice of displaying decorative lighting on homes, apartments and other dwelling units at holiday times has become increasingly wide spread. Traditionally, this practice of displaying holiday lights was most often implemented during the Christmas season, but recently, has become a more frequent and almost year-round exercise in enhancing other holiday celebrations like Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Typically, these holiday light displays utilize a plurality of pre-wired lights of white or a variety of colors in differing lengths or “strings” that are attached to structural elements of the home or other dwelling unit to achieve a decorative effect, with the strings of lights being secured beneath overhanging eaves and around gables, and positioned to outline architectural features of the homes, both inside and outside, such as doorways and windows.
Window frames are especially desirable for displaying holiday lights but not generally suitable for doing so. Traditional methods of displaying holiday lights in a window have involved the use of tape, tacks, nails, suction cups, or other fasteners to hold the light strings in place within the window frame which often damage the area surrounding the window or leave unsightly marks on the window glass. Makeshift mounting systems have been used for years and although the lights are quite attractive when installed, the installation of one string of holiday lights in a window is usually a painstaking activity, with the process of completing light installation on a group of windows, as is often the case, inevitably taking a significant amount of time. Since neither the light strings nor the windows are designed with the idea of simply mounting the lights into the window frames themselves, framework systems formed and adapted to fit standard rectangular window frames have been devised in the prior art to ease the task of light installation upon a given window and reduce the time involved to do so. Many of these prior art framework systems are designed having a support framework made of rigid channels or tubular members that are provided with individual compartments, retaining clips or fitted holes adapted to hold separate lights of a continuous string in a set position. Examples of this type of characteristic framework system are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,158 to Mitten; U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,083 to Boechel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,762 to Wroblewski; U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,419 to D'Angelo; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,258 to Dell'Aquila. Another type of prior art mounting device used for decorative lighting is formed from an assembly of hollow tubes interconnected by a series of elbows, with the tubes being slit to allow a continuous string of lights to be held in connection with the tubes around the window perimeter at adjustable locations. An example of this such type of prior art device designed to display a continuous light string upon a door frame or window frame without means for set positioning of individual lights is found in U.S. Pat. No. 8,425,075 to Falat et al.
While these and other prior art lighting mounting systems give all indications to work satisfactorily in providing a decorative light display for window frames, they have not been widely accepted and used by the general public due to certain limitations in the ability to fabricate, manufacture and assemble their support framework as well as difficulties in their mounting installations. As a result, they have not been economically affordable and generally been available for implementation and use by the general public. Furthermore, these prior art window frame lighting systems have also been limited to the extent that a user can easily adjust the set positioning of the lights in the resulting display to suit the desire and preference of the user and better complement the size and shape of the window to optimize the decorative effect. Accordingly, there is a genuine need for an improved mounting system and associated kit for installing decorative lights upon a window that is simple in construction and assembly and economical to produce and that can provide the user with greater ease of implementation and adjustment of the lighting positions than heretofore afforded by the prior art.